Monday, May 4, 2009

ELMA MUROS - POSADAS

Elma Muros

Elma Muros-Posadas, who has won more gold medals than any Filipino athlete, has finally retired, closing one of the most celebrated chapters in Philippine sports.

Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Go Teng Kok yesterday announced the retirement of Elma along with a bold prediction that his current wards could bring home seven medals, three of them gold, in the 2003 Asian Games.

"Elma retired effective Jan. 1 and the PATAFA is both happy and sad as she leaves us. We're sad because we'll miss her and happy and honored that she was with us for so many years. But now we must move on, " said Go.

Elma, who won 15 Southeast Asian gold ...

Elma Muros

Elma Muros-Posadas, who has won more gold medals than any Filipino athlete, has finally retired, closing one of the most celebrated chapters in Philippine sports.

German manufactured IAAF certified 3 world class track systems with a bold prediction that his current wards could bring home seven medals, three of them gold, in the 2003 Asian Games."Elma retired effective Jan. 1 and the PATAFA is both happy and sad as she leaves us. We're sad because we'll miss her and happy and honored that she was with us for so many years. But now we must move on, " said Go.

Elma, who won 15 Southeast Asian gold medals, the last one in September during the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, told Go that she plans to spend more time with her family and that the country should now concentrate on training more young and promising tracksters.

PATAFA, luckily, has the talents whom Elma can passed on the torch and Go believes his wards, who brought home ninegold medals, including Elma's heptathlon, from last year's SEA Games, are capable of winning three golds in the Asian Games to be staged in Pusan, Korea."Seven is my lucky number so I'm predicting seven medals. Now, based on PATAFA's comparative study of the results of the last 4As (Asian Amateur Athletic Association) championships in August 2000, lakas loob na sasabihin kong puwede tayong makakuha ng three golds.''

Among Go's best bets are John Lozada whose best time of 1:49.39 in the 800 meters surpassed the 1:49.80 of Iranian M. Jelodar in winning the gold in the 4As and his 3:50.44 is better than the 3:52.47 of Qatari M. Sulaiman and Eduardo Buenavista whose time of 8:40.77 in steeplechase eclipsed the 8:47.33 of K. Abdullah of Qatar.

"They are all capable of improving on their performances before the Asian Games. And PATAFA will make sure that they get the proper training and preparation hopefully, with the help of the Philippine Sports Commission.''